Star in a Silken Purse
by Nemi
Summary: He's not going to Japan She hasn't received a letter. Voldemort perverts the laws of Duel and Proxy, in a bout of weakness after months of duels, control slips and She kills. She must recover safely, but Hogwarts calls you not visaversa. Being rewritten.
1. Death Becomes Her

I own nothing but the story, and the concepts of how magic works unless it is the concepts that the progenitors of each fandom have.  
  
A/N: I believe somewhere in the manga it is said that Clow took seven hundred years to make the guardian's bodies and seven days to make their souls. Or some large number there abouts. In any case that's what I'm going by.  
  
Also, in my head China doesn't have a Ministry of Magic, they just have a handful of large magic clans that act as government, the Li clan being the biggest, strongest, and most respected.  
  
Japan doesn't have any Ministry of Magic because besides Sakura's immediate family, Yuki, and those of the Li clan who visit there are no magic wielding people. Why? Because Japan was the place where China sent the criminals and dishonored people, like what England did with Australia, only there are no native people in Japan. Thus anyone with magic was able to magic themselves out of such things. And the magic wielders did not send their people there because Clow said not to. (He wanted to make sure Sakura got the book.)  
  
  
A Star In a Silken Purse  
  
  
Chapter one – Death Becomes Her  
  
  
  
They all worried about her. She was so bright, a star that guided them with unwavering hope. No, not hope, hope didn't even enter into it. She knew, without foresight, that everything would be all right in the end, she knew it with unwavering certainty.   
  
Was it so strange then that they all gravitated to her? That they all loved her so?  
  
Even shadows were paradoxically drawn to her light. But they did not wish to bask in it, but rather to devour it.  
  
Shadows...  
  
No longer did she shine bright, a beacon of hope and joy even for those too far gone in their despair to even want to see it.  
  
No longer was she a pillar of strength, quiet, firm, and a mountain of indomitable will enough to lead even cowards to be heroes.  
  
No longer...  
  
Now she was but an ember, under soot and coal, or perhaps free-floating waiting for a wind to blow it out.  
  
They all clung to the hope, should an ember land in a place rich with fuel and tended to with careful breaths of wind it could become a forest fire.  
  
Fire…  
  
Fire is an interesting element life supporting, and taking, embodying hope and destroying it.  
  
They came wanting her power, and challenged her to duels. Knowing that only ancient rules protected them from facing the combined wrath of her and her allies, and that by honor she could not refuse. That only by winning according to the rules, fighting her on proxy for another, could they gain her power for their master.  
  
She was too kind hearted to hurt the first one, let alone kill him.  
  
Her enemy saw this, and took advantage.  
  
The Rules did not protect her from battle after battle, they did not provide rest nor respite. And so, hoping to wear her down until they could kill her and finally win, they continued to come, sometimes many times in one day. After all, it only cost him ego and body battered followers and two apparitions. Nothing a potion and killing a few muggles couldn't cure.  
  
He had miscalculated, just as Clow had. He failed to see this development like he had failed to see Touya's birth. The other failed to consider what would happen if her will gave out.  
  
He sent them, he kept on sending them, not even a week between battles. Again and again for months and months, wearing, whittling her down to nothing, thinking that eventually she would fall.  
  
She had been so tired, and the Cards so angry, they raged against these death specters for trying to hurt their Mistress, their friend, for dishonoring the duel by using it as a tool to take them away from one who they loved.  
  
Her control had slipped. No one, not even the Cards, knew if she had done it with a misplaced thought, or if the Card had willed it. A tongue of fire, meant to burn a wand to ashes…  
  
She killed her opponent, and with him died Sakura's brilliant joy.  
  
  
Eriol sighed and wished that Europe would keep its problems to themselves.  
  
Damn Voldemort anyways. 


	2. Soothed to a Dream

I own nothing but the story, and the concepts of how magic works unless it is the concepts that the progenitors of each fandom have.  
  
A/N: Eastern Magic, and thus Clow's magic is VERY big on balance. It's a huge theme in the anime/manga. Hence the two guardians, and the fact that there four in all.  
  
Now for me to go In depth for my little off shoot universe  
  
Spinal and Kero were created at the same time, as were Yue and Nakuru were also. They were briefly introduced to each other and then Clow put the other two away to sleep and wait for his reincarnation.  
  
Spinal is 'Dark' and symbolizes Eastern magic while Kero is 'Light' and Western Magic, And it's just the opposite for Yue and Nakuru. The Yin Yang symbolizes Masculinity and Femininity. While the guardians ARE genderless in their natural state they lean slightly to one side of the other, like light gray versus dark gray. Which is why Yue looks girly.  
  
Also, for instance 'Fly' is a moon card, yet both guardians have wings. With Yue, it is more of a getting rid of his wings using Fly card's magic while Kero had to be 'built' with his in place. And Shield is also a Moon card, Yue can cast it, but Kero's wings can be used as shields. Balance, one has the magic one has it built in.  
  
The light side is the masculine side, thus Kero and Yue and slight more masculine and 'follow' this tendency. And thus take on that form, so yes, they can 'perform' if they wished.  
  
The dark side is feminine. And while their counter parts follow there tendencies Nakuru and Suppi do not as she is a transsexual transvestite (I think) and he just decides to be male butterfly winged cat thing.  
  
BTW: Ruby Moon, as near as I can figure out, refers to a lunar eclipse because the moon turns blood red.  
  
  
  
A Star In a Silken Purse  
  
  
  
Chapter Two - Soothed From The Nightmare  
  
  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"She's been communing with the cards, and sometimes Yue and I can...hear her, just words, "Please," "No," "Come," more feelings than anything."  
  
"It seems an abomination that anything even hinting at goodness could come from this, doesn't it? Even if it is just accelerating her learning, what about you Touya?"  
  
"A little better, she'll look at me now instead of hiding against her guardians."  
  
"…Sorry."  
  
"No...it's not your fault, I don't like you but it's not your fault that my sister is afraid of me."  
  
Soulful black eyes looked up, tear filled and sad, "She isn't afraid of you, she's afraid for you and herself. She doesn't want you to die."  
  
The golden beast nodded, "Toyomo is right. She knows that Yue and I have lived for hundreds of years...we might even out live her--"  
  
"So she's not afraid to be close to you, and the Sakura cards can't hurt you, well not easily."  
  
"Yue's with her now, brushing her hair I think and keeping the Shield up. He says he can feel them looking for her, isn't there anything we can do?"  
  
The angry eyed one who was often so quiet burst out, "Can't you take her as your apprentice Eriol!? Wouldn't that protect her?"  
  
Brown eyes snapped to and narrowed at the dark haired boy, suspicious and angry.  
  
"It would, but England no longer recognizes apprenticeship formally and we do not have a ministry to make an appeal to. It would not protect her, besides, Clow made the Cards to show her how to do magic his way as well as be a tool. His is not a magic that can be taught any other way."  
  
Irritation, and surprise; and finally hope from the cousin of angry eyes. "Then what do children in England do?"  
  
"They go to school." A lopsided smile.  
  
"Then we can enroll Sakura-chan in a school there and she'll be safe!"  
  
Warm golden voice, thick with a cat's purr, "Excellent idea Toyomo-chan."  
  
"One problem, three rather. Those schools call you, not the other way around, Sakura is too old to be called in to those places, and we have no schools from which to transfer her into. And I can't get her into one."  
  
Depression.  
  
Dark eyes narrowed in thought. "You can't, but Clow could, couldn't he?"  
  
Pause.  
  
Grudgingly, "Yes, but I am not Clow Reed."  
  
"You're one half his reincarnation though, and you have all his knowledge, surely they know this."  
  
Suspicion, and...fear?  
  
"They do, I have proved it to them, but they are westerners, they do not believe it truly, and so would not heed me should I ask."  
  
"But they would listen to Clow, wouldn't they Eriol."  
  
Stomach clench, spoiled milk inside of him, poison.  
  
Fear.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I am not Clow Reed."  
  
"But?"  
  
Old eyes close and open, showing their true age, fear.  
  
"I do not wish to die, Touya Kinomoto. I am not Clow Reed."  
  
Triumph.  
  
"But you can be him again, can't you? You can bring him out!"  
  
"I can't be him again, I never was him, I am *not* him." A potent glare and he went on though he was loath to, "I can cede the body to him, yes, I might not be able to come back. I am not him," fear "I am not even fourteen years old. I do not wish to die, I cannot go into that good night smiling as he did."  
  
Silent father looked at the worried ghost, "You'd have to take my power, wouldn't you? And I wouldn't be able to see her or hear her."  
  
Touya looked at his father sadly, knowing how much he cherished his renewed time with his wife, even if she was a ghost.  
  
Meilin patted his shoulder, "I'm sure Clow-sama would leave you enough magic to still see her, you don't need a lot, or maybe he could cast a spell."  
  
Eriol was over his head. He was used to being railroaded, how could he not be with the most powerful seer of all time as his previous incarnation? But that was more like a geas, a job. He did what Clow wished to be done, as he foresaw it, with appropriate alterations, such as for Touya, who wasn't supposed to be born, not that it was a bad thing. But once he was done with it his life was his own, he wouldn't even have to have visions, memories or otherwise of the future, unless he truly wished it.  
  
His life would be his own.  
  
But they were acting like the decision was already made!  
  
It was too much.  
  
"No! No I don't want to die! I might not come back, I might be absorbed by him! This is my life! Clow promised it to me! The Hope card has been made, love in a void, My part is over, it's my life now! I won't do it!"  
  
"ERIOL HIIRAGIZAWA!!! HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING?!"  
  
Terror.  
  
"You're Sakura's friend, she regards you almost like a father! If Sakura was being shot would you take the bullet?"  
  
"Yes b-!"  
  
"There is not Buts! You're willing to die for her, just like everyone else here in this room!"  
  
"YES I AM! How could anyone not want to? But it's different, Toyomo! You don't understand!"  
  
"How is it different!? Tell me! Tell us all"  
  
"Because if I die then it is my death, my life, I'll give my life to her, but not to him! Never to him! He's already stolen enough of it!" He threw down the staff.  
  
Hesitance, understanding dawning, and--  
  
"I don't want nor need your pity," unless it will get me out of doing this, silent.  
  
"..."  
  
"Clow Reed is my creator, and was my Master. He was a crackpot and too manipulative by half for his own good. And he was cruel, cruel in doing things that were, in the end, for the best. He sent us to Sakura so we would have a friend as a Master, because no matter what we would never be able to see him as an equal. To do it he had to die, and that was cruel."  
  
They all looked to him, Eriol tucked his knees under his chin, hand tight around his legs.  
  
"But he was a good man. And I don't think he would try to steal anymore of your life if he could help it, he's not that kind of person."  
  
...  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
She curled against him, cheek on his chest, small hand curled into a fist around a lock of his hair and a fold of his robe, Book tucked under his arm. Her hair was brushed out, a few gentle curls in her in bangs, eyes closed and brow smooth.  
  
She looked like an angel.  
  
He was sitting on the floor of her room, propped up against her bed with his small Mistress sitting in his lap. The floor glowed with Clow's magic circle, producing a shield to hide them under his own maintenance.  
  
There were more than a hundred of them all around Tomoeda. They had faked sneaking her out to set the Death Eaters on the wrong trail, letting them tear down one shield after another, moving her occasionally so they would never find her.  
  
He was cold, and still wasn't too sure if he was comfortable with her as his Mistress, but she did not deserve this.  
  
...Didn't she say she want to be his friend?  
  
The moon was cold, impassive, alone, and so was he.  
  
Her brow furrowed and eyes clenched tight as she slowly curled up more, shaking.  
  
/Fire...help. NO!/  
  
He looked down worried, a strange gleam in his eyes and wrapped both arms and wings around her, bowing his head so his face was against her hair. He could almost see what she saw. The fire, a hell-scape, ghost begging for mercy, flesh burning, the smell, ash blowing away. Blood.  
  
\Hush Mistress.\  
  
/Yue?/  
  
\Nightmare Mistress.\  
  
/Yue./  
  
His mouth twisted, no matter what how dimmed she became, she was still Sakura, /Sakura./  
  
Green eyes slitted open and looked at him, fear, and then calming when she saw that he was not wreathed in flames, not dying.  
  
"Sleep."  
  
She nodded, a shadow of her former smile and settled down.  
  
...  
  
Didn't the stars and the moon dance in the sky together? 


	3. The Once and Future King

AN: I think some explanations are in order.  
  
First order of business: East versus West in advancement and Law  
  
Do not wrongly assume that the Eastern magic community is less advanced than in the West.  
  
There are five major magic clans in China, the Li clan being the largest and most powerful, and centered around Hong Kong. They have 'rights' to all magical muggle (non wizard) born wizards in south China. They adopt these people into the clan, marry them into the family in most cases.  
  
In the West you go to school and learn magic. You can be apprenticed for a craft, but not a skill. For instance, Madam Malkin, who makes robes for wizards in England, can have an apprentice in making clothing and the spells for it. It is her CRAFT, but apprenticing for magic itself is not acknowledged.  
  
In the East there is still apprenticeship because everyone can use different things to focus their power. For instance, Li uses a sword, his mother uses a fan. Plus every clan has 'family secrets' that they guard jealously from outsiders. Everyone uses o-fuda (the bits of paper) though. Apprenticeship also keeps the clan together with cross family training.  
  
The clans, or rather leaders/elders of the clan, are basically the Ministry of Magic for that area. It makes sense if you think about it, considering how huge China is compared to most European countries. They simply aren't recognized.  
  
Why aren't they recognized? Because they saw no reason to be. Why bother? Their magic is vastly different anyways.  
  
Basically the Western world isn't 'better' they just do it differently. Though, in a way China is more advanced than the Western world. Why? Shaoron and Meiling functioned perfectly in a muggle school, and they come from a wizarding family, how many English wizards can do that? Conversely the muggle government and the wizarding government work together in the west while in China the muggle government doesn't know about them.  
  
Note Number One: The Chang Clan is pissy because SOMEONE moved away.  
  
Note Number Two: The Laws of Proxy and Duel are not Laws per se. They are on the same order as the dept that is owed between wizards when one wizard saves another. However, that Law is not effected by the laws of men.  
  
Basically this: You overturn a decision for someone to get the Dementor's kiss. It's no good. You step in and shove them out of the way right when they are about to get kissed then they owe you by Law.  
  
On the other hand, the Laws of Proxy and Duel are governed, slightly, by the laws of men, hence the issue with apprenticeship.  
  
  
Second Order: Romance: Is going to be secondary or tertiary, this is PLOT driven story people, but:  
Y/S: It's supposed to be, but this thing might not behave. If it is it's going to be moments like what was in the last chapter, soft, not exactly WAFFy but...*makes inarticulate hand gestures* Moments like what was in the previous chapter.  
Touya/Yuki: Yesishy in a cute way. I'm only now starting to like Toya.  
Touya/Yue: Angstishy.  
Kaho/Eriol: I seem them more like an old old married couple, at peace with each other, once Eriol grew up there would be sex, if they were still together.  
Tomoyo/Sakura: Uh...nothing against it but I don't know how to write femslash. If it doesn't go Y/S it will go this way in all likeliness.  
S/S: Not on you sporking life. Nothing against it personally, save that it's TOO common, I just see too much of it and Yue's better looking.  
Meilin/Anyone: No idea, maybe Toyomo?  
Harry/Sarkua: NO SPORKING WAY.  
HPstudents/anyone: Not likely, though it might be funny to pair Li and Malfoy up. Or at least have Draco hit on him.  
Notice: in the HP fandom I like HP/SS HP/LM (yes you are reading that right) HP/DM and various combinations there of.  
Clow/Yue: In the past and current angst, maybe trying to get with him again on Yue's part.  
Clow/Snape: This bunny is biting my ankle. -_-;;;  
  
  
Third and Last Order: Reincarnation: There is a miniscule part of the Ministry of Magic that is enchanted so only certain people can find it. Namely those reincarnated people with enough of their former selves to have a claim on it. Basically Ron might be some random Malfoy reincarnated, fine, but he doesn't have enough of his former self to be a Malfoy and thus eligible to use some of that fortune.  
  
Your soul is like a book, and each new life is like a new page, but sometimes the pages get stuck together, which is like Eriol and Clow. When this happens you get lost in the Ministry building and find your way there. People that are reincarnated this way are aware of who they were, or become aware shortly, because if you are not they cast a spell on you. You take a sip of Vertiserum and tell them who you were.  
  
They, the three people that run that part of the ministry, write it down and put it in a sealed envelope for the Ministries Records, to be opened ten years after your death, or however long you say; unless of course you want to reveal who you are right now. You also get one yourself, to be given to the Goblins at Gringotts so you can get any money your past self had. Up to two more official letters might be given to you if you ask, one for your own family one for the family you were part of.  
  
Most people don't announce who they are as there is no reason to, they will still regard you as you are, not as you were. Hence Eriol did not release his identity to the public because people (at least westerners) would still look at him and see a child, not matter how many memories he had. He also doesn't like being Clow. This works in his favor as the people in that part of the ministry are not allowed to reveal his identity without permission, and Eriol can pretend Clow never died in the first place.  
  
And Oh Yeah: Harry and Co are entering their fifth year and are sixteen, obviously, Sakura and Co are thirteen and fourteen range.  
  
  
Chapter Two: The Once and Future King  
  
  
They had moved Sakura to another shielded area. The beauty of it was that since all the shields were made by Eriol and had Clow's magic circle they didn't have to convey her manually or remove the shield to Teleport (as it is called in the East) her. They moved without moving because on a basic level all the shields were connected, it was called Tunneling.  
  
Kerberos was with her now, laid out, Sakura leaning against him as if he was a couch, tucked under his wing and hiding from the world.  
  
He was watching TV while she slept.  
  
"In other news an unscheduled full solar eclipse occurred earlier to--"  
  
He tuned it out lifting his head when he felt Clow's presence, which had come into being again at precisely noon that day blink out...or rather away. It was enough to wake Sakura up.  
  
He turned to her and purred, rubbing his great golden head against her and licked her cheek once with his rough cat tongue. She had looked at him then, and perhaps she might have smiled. But Sakura never smiled anymore, nor did she speak out loud.  
  
Now she simply lay against her Sun guardian, removing a card from the top of the deck and holding it. She had long ago stopped looking at the Return and Time cards. One could not change the past unless it had been changed. She remembered the adventure in capturing the Time card, and her lips quirked in a nervous tic, no matter what the ball had gone into the net, kicked or otherwise. Time could not be changed, History happened.  
  
People stay dead.  
  
So now she examined the Move card. Kero had called it useless as it was only able to move small things over short distances and never anything living. She looked at it and sensed locked inside of it was the knowledge on how to surpass its abilities, but the card itself was locked down so it could not do such things. She knew the Eastern thread of magic in it, it had been done to her before after all, this Tunneling, she thought perhaps she might be able to manage it. The Western she did not know yet and seemed far more complicated, Apparation, but the Port Keys seemed similar to Tunneling.  
  
She held the Move card now because the deck had changed and it was the one on top.  
  
Someone was moving. Destiny's gears were turning.  
  
But it was also nice to look at, to commune with like Kero said.  
  
She looked at all the cards this way--except for The Firey.  
  
It, he was forgiven, she told the other cards this, it was just that...  
  
/Fear./  
  
Kero's wing tightened slightly around her and he turned to nuzzle her again.  
  
"Sakura-chan?"  
  
She turned and grabbed his ear, pulling herself closer to his head and wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
Kerberos smelled the tell tale scent of salt water as she wiped her tears away on his fur.  
  
"Shhh..." He embraced her as well as he was able with a foreleg.  
  
She did not touch the offensive cards much either, Shot, Watery, Sword and the rest, but Firey not at all.  
  
The cards could disobey her, no, twist her will, they were alive after all. To capture Rain she had commanded Watery to form a binding chain, instead it had made a bubble, because a chain would not have worked and she wanted to capture Rain.  
  
Eriol and Kero had told her how in the West most wizards and witches couldn't cast spells without their wands, and that a new wand acquired would almost certainly be weaker than the first.  
  
She had been so very tired, there had been four previous duels that day, at the very least, coming when she was trying to get to sleep. She could not hold out any more, she knew she could not hold Shield against this one's spells, nor could she make Windy or Shadow strong enough to hold him. And so help her she was getting upset. She wanted to beat this one up a little so they would leave her alone for a while.  
  
She knew these men, these Death Eaters valued power highly, so why not take some away from them?  
  
She commanded Firey to make it so he couldn't cast spells anymore.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Earlier that Day:  
  
Fujitaka had removed Sakura from school in November, citing that someone had died and it was hitting Sakura very hard. The pure truth. Many of her friends came over to offer condolences for what they thought was the loss of a family member and she had just looked at them sadly. There was something inherently wrong with Sakura being depressed, one look at her was enough to make something twist in your chest and want to run away. It broke the laws of nature.  
  
None of them came by anymore, though they still sent letters. Only Shaoron, Meiling, and Tomoyo came over any more. Yukito and Yue never left and switched between each other confidently and with no fuss for which ever one of them was better suited to the task at hand.  
  
But that was besides the point. At the moment Fujitaka was the one arguing with Eriol on doing this.  
  
Mostly because Eriol said something about removing part of Fujitaka's soul.  
  
It wasn't as if Fujitaka was unwilling to do this, he'd do anything for Sakura. He was afraid, he'd have to be a complete idiot not to be afraid, and cautious. This was risky, and he wanted to make sure all other avenues were taken, or at least considered beforehand.  
  
"Did you even try to enroll Sakura-chan without being Clow?"  
  
"Yes, I did," Eriol said as he straightened out the large oversized robe and kneeled on the floor of Sakura's room. The book had spent the most time so there was much of Clow's magic was right there. Eriol looked up at Fujitaka and pulled something out an inner pocket and handed it to him.  
  
It was a letter, yellowed and thick, sealed with wax and an emblem he recognized, Clow's magic circle. On the other side there was the address and return address, both obscured by large red letters. It took Fujitaka a moment to process what it said as he had never been good at English and was out of practice.  
  
"Retur-return to Sender."  
  
It was the first time anyone had ever seen Fujitaka looking angry, in fact he was never even irritated.  
  
"Shall we do this then?"  
  
Fujitaka nodded and knelt next to Eriol, scooting over until he was in the correct position indicated by Eriol.  
  
He felt a flex of something, very faint, more like a ripple. Despite being ready for it he was still surprised when the glowing circle opened up under them, turning slowly around it's center, Eriol. There was another ripple and it came to a stop, turned upside down so Fujitaka was sitting neatly on the moon of the symbol.  
  
"Now you."  
  
The adult looked at the child who was so much older than him.  
  
"Like this." One hand reached out and touched his shoulder and he closed his eyes. After a second he felt a barely used muscle shift and flex, and another magic circle had bloomed under him, the moon over Eriol's sun.  
  
A surprisingly warm thing slid under his hands, the staff. He grasped it and felt something--ai...The last time he felt something like this was when Nadeshiko died.  
  
/Relax./  
  
...  
  
/There's no need to be rude./  
  
\You didn't tell me it would feel like this!\ He could feel the tears in his eyes, but not, he made a promise, he would not break it, he would not cry. But so help him he was closer to it than he ever had been before.  
  
There was another shift, from where that pain was coming from and so help him it felt like he was with her again, something that was missing now there. But he never knew it was missing before.  
  
\Two halves,\ he marveled.  
  
/Yes./  
  
That connection withdrew, like a hand extended and withdrawing, taking a piece of him with it. He felt tired, so tired, and hurt, such pain. He choked back tears and swallowed them down. He knew in that last instant that he would ALWAYS crave that feeling the same way he craved Nandeshiko pressance.  
  
And promptly passed out.  
  
He did not know that his magic circle had faded out and now the child was glowing. He was not a being of pure magic like a guardian, the body needed a little bit more time for magic and form altering magic like this. He grew up and broader filling in the over sized clothes, his hair longer, and changed colors.  
  
A small child gave a cry and fell to dreaming and waiting.  
  
The adult whispered a promise and cradled him, eased his fall, and promised the child that it would be all right in the end before he pushed himself up to consiousness.  
  
Clow Reed stood up, "We have work to do."  
  
==========  
  
To make sure Y'all don't miss: Eriol sent a letter to Hogwarts before the fic started, DUMBLEDOR NEVER SAW IT. All incoming mail is scanned with a spell to check if it is about admissions, if so it gets stamped with RETURN TO SENDER and is never opened. Hence the need for political clout. Lucuis Malfoy isn't the only one that can make Fudge dance.  
  
Also, this chapter WAS going to be longer, but I decided to chop the idea in half, enjoy the early gift.  
  
And KEEP REVIEWING. Not only am I a total review whore but reading nice long reviews make the story click together in my head so I can write it. 


	4. Letters are Made

A/N: EEK! I have nothing to say this time! *runs around panicing*  
  
*hits a wall that mysteriously appeared in front of her and falls down* Oohh....Pertty staaaaaaaaaaars...*shakes it off*  
  
Oh hey!  
  
I need names/suggestions for Sakura's classmates! You all can see that this isn't a typical crossover, and it's going to remain so. Sakura isn't going to have a schedule remotely like anyone else's, a first year class there, a fourth year class there, and she won't be staying in her house for all classes, so house and age doesn't matter...E-mail me!   
  
Only three people know which house she's going to be in, one is me another is my muse, another is a reviewer.  
  
All my loyal reviewers *hugs Leila, Silver, Tenshi, and M* will get a character of theirs put in as bit parts as Hogwarts students, most likely be a friend or saying something intelligent in Clow's--*slaps hand over her mouth* Kuso! Did I just type that? Ah well, you have CHAPTERS before that kicks in, that is if the story co-operates, it seems to be going pretty fast. Now you all have to wait.  
  
So E-mail me with names, house, basic personality, best and worst subjects, and year, even if you aren't a loyal reviewer cause you might just get in. (Hint: leave long reviews to improve your chances. Greatly. THIS MEANS YOU BIKI!)  
  
A few rules: NO JAPANESE OR CHINESE NAMES, NO MARY SUE, NO GARY STU, NO TRANSFER STUDNETS, NO LI'S, NO REEDS, NO UNKNOWN MALFOYS/POTTERS/WEASLYS/GANGERS/DIGGORYS ETC., NO "nice and kind hearted Slytherine" ETC. (Decent Slytherine is another thing though) If you go against those rules my respect for you will utterly collapse. But I'll still put the character in, and then kill them off at the nearest opportunity, I might even have them kill themselves off. I'll tell you if I will do this though. And villainish characters are welcome.  
  
I don't consider this "insert fiction," I'm just using a cheap trick to avoid having to make up a diverse cast on my own. Is it working?  
  
If you go against the spirit but not the letter of the rules and feel like arguing it feel free to. Just know that I will win because: One, I am the author. Two, I'm in college and I've taken as many philosophy courses as sophomores with that as their major, and I've managed to throw the Cogito Ergo Sum into doubt. Three, I am L33T!  
  
...  
  
I think writing this is driving me insane.  
  
No wait...wait...I am a writer, I ALWAYS was nuts.  
  
*smiles*  
  
No one has commented on the fact I have the urge to hook Snape up with Clow. Strange.  
  
I'm shutting up and writing now. ONWARDS!  
  
  
Chapter Four: Letters  
  
  
Clow Reed stood up, "We have work to do."  
  
...And promptly staggered. He would have fallen over had Shaoron not rushed up and caught him, one arm around his waist and at just the right height that his bent arm out rest across his shoulders.  
  
Eriol, no Clow, he was Clow now...My he was tired, and this body felt odd, being weightless and substanceless kind of grew on you. He smiled at the boy, "Thank you my cute descendant," Oh it was so funny to see him get angry like that. After a bit he managed to stand up on his own and find his balance. He promptly knelt and picked up, not his staff, but rather Fujitaka, his other self.  
  
Yue felt a moment of strange jealously mingled with sweet longing, he remembered when his creator did that for him, he even used to have a similar expression on his face.  
  
Clow carried him to his room, talking quietly to Nadeshiko. He laid him in the bed and then opened the first few buttons on his shirt. "Yue, I--Eriol...There is a box downstairs with parchment sheets and envelops inside. There is also a knife, ink, and a magic wax set inside. Could you bring it up? There are letters to be written and sent."   
  
Yue bowed to him slightly, and did as he was told, though he was loath to leave.  
  
Clow placed his hand on Fujitaka's bare chest, "Meilin, my staff? It is safe for you," and from the way he said you it was obvious that he only meant her, "to touch."  
  
He started tracing lines on Fujitaka's chest, leaving glowing lines in its wake. First an upright rectangle split into thirds, Li recognized it as the hiragana for 'Eye.' In each chamber another symbol was traced, this time in kanji. First the three fold symbol, Ai, Love. Then in the bottom, a 'V' opened to the left atop a line, and a dash atop like the dot of an 'i', and a quartered box to the right, run though with a line down the center. Shen, or Seishin, spirit.  
  
He looked up and smiled at Meilin, who was struggling a bit with the large staff, he reached out and helped her with it when she was close enough. Yue entered then, having been apparently blocked by Meilin, and set the box down.  
  
Clow put his hand on Fujitaka's chest, obscuring the symbol partially. Clow's monogram, the magic circle appeared under his hand, and then again, much smaller on Fujitaka's forehead then crystallized into the symbol Clow had drawn on his chest, an artificial third eye, which faded to invisibility.  
  
His constant expression of happy serenity, which was the most irritating thing in the world to most people, changed slightly to a smirk. Touya's chest glowed faintly though his shirt and the symbol appeared on his head. Touya was surprised and would have thanked him, save that Clow seemed...not all there, and rather creepy anyways.  
  
Clow touched Fujitaka's face lightly, a sort of longing expression on his face. To be simple again.  
  
"He will be very tired and lack his usual stamina for a while. Make sure he gets enough to sleep and eat Touya."  
  
The teen nodded at him, and Clow wondered if he'd get a father-complex to match his sister-complex.  
  
And then surprisingly, he Saw.  
  
His back would have straightened and he would have stiffened up as he waited for the information, the Vision to pass. But it was there and gone so quick he did not even have the time.  
  
He did not receive Visions while dead, at least not many. And it was apparent that now he had his magic back and his life, that he would be getting them all over again.  
  
He simply hoped that he did not get any mind storm Visions. Those were awful.  
  
He paused and went over what his Sight revealed to him  
  
...  
  
Poor Fujitaka. But at least it wouldn't last long.  
  
And now...He dove into the realm of Vision, searching for the threads of fate that were most likely to happen and succeed, Seeing what he had to do as he barely could when dead and resisting the ill feeling he was getting.  
  
"Yue, cut a quill, we're going to have to convince the Westerners that I never died."  
  
"Hai, Clow-sama," Yue reached over and plucked one of his feathers out carefully and then opened the box. There was the knife which he used to expertly cut his own feather into a quill and feathered tip into a brush for oriental writing.  
  
"Meilin, Cute Decedent," Shaoron glowered at this and Meilin held back a smile. "I have a very important job for you." They immediately puffed up. "I am afraid that you won't be able to support Sakura-chan for a while but!" He raised his hand to fend off their complaints, "You can make it much safer for her."  
  
He held out his hand to Yue, "Rice paper." Yue found the delicate sheets under the heavier parchment and vellum and handed it to him. Clow took the paper and seated himself at the small desk in Fujitaka's bedroom, laying it to the side save one sheet.  
  
The quill was wordlessly passed to him, the feather striped to the shaft save for the last half inch at the tip. Clow rolled up his sleeve and shifted his hold on the staff, bringing the spiky sun and moon symbol down, and promptly cut open his arm. Touya was startled and was about to thrash Clow for hurting himself had Yue not held him back. Then he noticed cut did not bleed.  
  
Well it was better to say the blood stayed inside his arm, they could see it.  
  
Meilin wrinkled her nose, disturbing to use your own blood as ink, but she could see why it was necessary, the blood was the proof.   
  
"They need to know it is me and that I am serious." He used the still feathery tip of the quill and dipped it into his own blood and then began to write.  
  
Touya's kanji wasn't good enough to get more than the barest gist of what he wrote. But he definitely saw 'danger' and 'organize' amongst others.  
  
Clow waved his hand over the paper, magically drying it, and leaving a faint imprint of his magic emblem in the paper and ink, like a watermark. He held it up to Meilin and Shaoron. "What do you think? My language isn't too out of date, I hope."  
  
They read it easily.  
  
"You want us to WHAT?"  
  
"You can't be serious; the clans will never work together."  
  
Clow smiled at both of them, "The feuds are over and done with are they not?" They grudgingly nodded. "So cut China up into five different magical countries, which is exactly what has already been done and then document how each clan's ruling system and laws. No change save that it's on record."  
  
"But no one has ever wanted to ally with the Westerners, there's no point in it! I can see why you want it to happen, and I agree, but the other clans...Well the Changs, I mean the Osuw--"  
  
Clow held up his hand, "I am aware that the name changed, and no one else will see the point you say?" Clow smiled again, deviousness that made Li fear for his dignity, "Criminals from Europe, the governments of which we have no way to appeal to, came here using our lack of recognized government to twist Laws. And to steal my magic, my secrets. What is to stop them from trying to take on the clans once they are done with Europe? And they will, I have Foreseen it."  
  
That gave the cousins pause. If anything would convince the clans to untie, partially, it would be a threat to their secrets.  
  
"You want use to play diplomatic delivery people, don't you?"  
  
"Basically yes. But you see me before you, your testimony to my wishes and Visions in addition to my blood on the paper, writ with Yue's feather, will convince them that I am back, if I even left in the first place, and to listen." A significant pause and Shaoron thought that faking your own death for centuries was a very Eriol, a very Clow thing to do. "Shaoron, your mother is a good person, but I do not trust the Elders not to try to make this work out for their benefit. That can come later, but for now the clans will not unite. I can trust you two not to deceive any one, and no one will think that you would deceive them in matters like this because you are young enough to still have ideals. Do you understand?"  
  
"Hai, Clow-sama," and they bowed to him.  
  
"Excellent, do you see anything that needs changing?"  
  
Shaoron chuckled, "Disturbing ancestor, I know for a fact that the elders prefer everything to be archaic, you are a bit more archaic than they are and that will impress them more than anything."  
  
Clow chuckled, "I know you do not want me to transport you as there are many things that you wish to bring home. Very well, let me write up the other four letters."  
  
And he did so, repeating the process over and over again with different names, placing the letters carefully into envelopes Yue provided him with, sealing them with his magic and handing them to Shaoron and Meilin.  
  
"Go home and call your mother Shaoron, tell her what has occurred here, she can use her letter to speak to me personally. Tell her that it is my wish that at least the Li clan be recognized, and Japan as part of its territory. Tell your hard headed elders that it is my will." His eyes moved to the window. "It is late yet for the next phase, it will have to wait till this night."  
  
After that cryptic, and strange comment Clow reached into the box and removed a scroll of vellum, pure white and smooth. He smoothed it out on the desk and a bottle of ink. He used the bottom part of the quill and began to write a letter, in English this time.  
  
He told Shaoron and Meilin what he could of the future, not wanting to alter what he saw and wanting them to be prepared. Perhaps he could have told them more, and perhaps he would have...had he dared to see more, he was more than slightly nervous about regaining his Sight.  
  
Touya, perhaps feeling uncomfortable listening in on a conversation that had nothing to do with him, Stood up, "I'm going to get us some food, do you want anything." Nervous or not had he not assured himself that his father was only sleeping, both by checking himself and his mother's spirit promising him that she would watch and come and get him if something happened he would not have left.  
  
Everyone shook their heads no, even Clow.  
  
*GURGLE!*  
  
They all looked at Clow with amused/surprised expressions.  
  
"Ehheheheh. I had forgotten that I need to eat."  
  
*SNARL!*  
  
There was a simultaneous blink that created a breeze felt in Tokyo.  
  
"I'll get Yuki's lunch then."  
  
Clow at least had the good manners to look abashed.  
  
Later Yue reflected Clow ate like Yuki on a good day.  
  
Touya thought he was giving Yuki too much credit.  
  
After dinner Meilin and Shaoron went back to their home to pack, and Clow...Clow zoned out. Touya recognized that Clow was doing some sort of magic and didn't disturb him, though he was terribly curious.  
  
In truth Clow was scrying, anyone with a bit of power could do it, but he was using it as an extension of his own Sight, to see in the present rather than the past or future, hence it was more accurate.  
  
"Yue, I need you to accompany me on a trip." Clow stood up, eyes still mostly unfocussed scroll finished and in hand.  
  
"Hai, Clow-sama." Yue felt a little like he was betraying his mistress, but then again he felt like he was betraying Clow by having a mistress. But this was for Sakura, and Clow didn't seem to mind. And no matter what Clow deserved his utmost respect. But some feelings are slow to fade, so he stood a bit closer to Clow than was necessary.  
  
Clow's magic circle appeared under them and he slipped past the barrier of his own magic and into another place  
  
~*In another place, at almost the same time*~  
  
"Very well then. Are there anymore issues that need to be brought up or are we done for the day?"  
  
A column of light appeared before anyone could utter the blessed word "No."  
  
The light faded out leaving two figures standing in a circle that had not been seen in the West for centuries.  
  
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Fudge-san, but there is one or two more points left."  
  
=========  
  
Yay! We finally Get to England! And Yet again a chapter is cut in half!  
  
Oh, and as it is difficult to find decent CCS/HP crossover fics, let alone good ones I'm giving props to this excellent start on a fic that jarred me out of a rut called "Magic Abound" by Yukoma. It's not exactly an original premise, but it is a fresh new spin on it and Sakura does not look like she is about to make an appearance. I like it. Support Good CCS/HP fiction: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1201235  
  
Go and support her and get her out of her funk! 


	5. Herald to The King

More Author Notes Yay!  
  
Let me clarify something, Clow did not order anyone to do anything, save the elders of the Li clan, because if you want to get technical he is the clan head or at least can choose to be it. Why? His mum was part of the lead family and he is the eldest male, anywhere, but also in the clan. So yeah, he can order them around, a "Do as I ask or I'll make it so you have to do as I command," sort of thing.  
  
The clans have already divided up China and already have their laws and government system down pat. Clow is asking them to document them for the westerners.  
  
It's Chang clan not Chan, I miss put it, I write when I'm tired often, it's five in the morning now, and I haven't just woken up. Anyways, the Chang clan is one of the five magic clans I mentioned before. They used to be called the Oswarsi but since Chang is a common name and the clans marry people in, well the name changed.  
  
Random Note One: The original name of the clan is what happens when Clow gets drunk on sake while using his Second Sight to watch anime/read manga in the future and then decides to mess with "History That Hasn't Happened Yet."  
  
Random Note Two: Clow is a crackpot at times. His sense of 'play' is HUGE because if it wasn't he'd go insane--well more insane. He can see everything, and if he's not careful he can get dragged into people's experiences, in fact one of his students was dragged into people right before/just as they were getting killed. At one point Clow was just sifting though the timelines and he ran into the Holocaust. He is serene because he knows himself and is at peace, that's why he smiles, he has to work to be happy though.  
  
Random Note Three: Because of this I'm making the Clow/Snape thing fluff. Basically Clow dragging Snape around, washing his hair, having fun/being irritating/acting like Dumbledore. And sometimes getting off his sugar/caffeine/whatever high to actually sit down and talk to him. I also had an interesting definitely non romantic thought about Eriol and Snape.  
  
Random Note Four: Clow is a nut. You want to hug him, but he can also be disturbingly serious, and disturbingly vicious when defending people he cares about, though he usually does so with words or a round about manner like ruining their lives. And then he goes back to being a teddy bear. Clow can also be Crazy, I mentioned the Mind Storm Seeings? That's what happens when he gets pulled in by the vision instead of imitating it, it's also when he made most of the cards. This is going to be in an upcoming chapter but see it like this, Clow can take a step outside of time, in fact he can take several, but sometimes Something reaches into time, grabs him and rips him out until he can literally see everything at once and then forces him to focus in on something, he acts, is in a way, possessed when this happens. There are other things that happen to him physically when this happens, it depends on what he's seeing, though bleeding from the eyes and ears mouth and nose seems pretty common. He finds them to be distinctively unpleasant. This all the way outside bit? He calls it the Wild, or the Storm, things like that.  
  
Random Note Five: Clow willingly tossed himself out into the Wild several times over the course of Seven Hundred years and pulled something back with him. The stuff of souls and free will. That's how he made the Guardian's, it took so long because he had to go out farther, and it took him a long time to recover after each trip, plus everything had to be shaped and fitted together. The extra stuff was fashioned into the cards to give them their unique properties, namely having wills of their own.  
  
Spinal and Ruby haven't been around much because they are not close to Sakura. Further more Eriol has them running around putting up shields and occasionally carrying a simulacrum of Sakura. It's a bit of Voodoo type magic, but spells like that also exist in the East as they excel at enchanted items. Basically it's a carved wooden figure with a bit of hair wrapped around it, a bit of blood on the 'head,' and has been breathed on by the person. Saliva works as well, just not as long lasting as the blood. It also has Sakura's magic seal on it. Such things act as an extension of self. It's possible to use such things to make puppets and do magic though them; at least in the pure eastern method. Eriol thought that the Death Eaters had done some of their homework and so used a bit of Voodoo in making the thing as well. This was going to be covered in future chapters, but you guys want to know now, so know now!  
  
They weren't around for Eriol to Clow thing because though Clow made all of them he spent more time with Yue and Kero, especially Yue (who was a needy liddle bugger.) If they were around there would be more "Pull" to the real world on Eriol. As it was, it would have gone better if Kero was there as well, but he had to be with Sakura.  
  
Eriol...won't show up in later chapters unless this thing does a serious detour on me. But he WILL be there, usually talking to Clow, mostly in dreams.  
  
Clow did not loose a lot of blood in writing. Go back and you'll see that it is stated that the blood stayed in his arm. The only time when it came out was when he dipped the quill.  
  
As for the Toyomo vs Tomoyo thing, well I actually have KNOWN someone called Toyomo, so *shrugs* honest mistake and honestly I don't feel like going back to change it, but I don't think it should happen again.  
  
Random Note Six: Tomoyo will be going to Hogwarts. She remains non magical and she is not a student. Who wants to guess how I'm going to pull this off?  
  
Random Note Seven: I should be writing an essay or reading my text books. I'm not. I am going to be in deep shit.  
  
  
Chapter Five: Herald to the King (chapters three and four were named this but it kept getting cut in half!)  
  
  
A column of light, flashing strongly startled everyone in the room. The Aurors had their wands out in an instant and had already cast a number of containment spells around it. The light flicked and faded leaving two individuals there, standing on a glowing circular symbol.  
  
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Fudge-san, but there is one or two more points left."  
  
"State your names!"  
  
The dark haired and robed figure continued smiling, seemingly to not be at all upset that his dramatic entrance had been well not ruined, but certainly not as cinematic as he had hopped. Well there went his speech; he really should have checked the lines closer to see if he would have had a chance to do so.  
  
"I am Clow Reed, this is Yue," he gestured to the pristine white figure, who ruffled his wings. "And I have come to speak to your minister."  
  
"Clow Reed died more than five hundred years ago."  
  
"Six hundred and twenty nine years ago is when I...disappeared."  
  
"My creator has taken us all the way from Japan to speak with you," Yue said, his voice soft, "Look at what we stand upon, is that not proof enough?"  
  
And everyone did look down and saw Clow's magic circle.  
  
"Let them out men! I'll hear what he has to say," Fudge commanded, and though he was an idiot, his will was done.  
  
Clow bowed slightly in the eastern manner and Yue more deeply.  
  
"Fudge-san, I have an heir who has indicated to me that studying in the west to learn your magic as I did would be highly interesting and worthy of veneration and so bring honor to her family."  
  
Fudge blinked and tried to comprehend what was just said as Clow used highly flowery language and he wasn't too sure if it was insulting or not. "Eh? Oh. You have an heir and you want them to learn magic here."  
  
"Yes Fudge-san. My heir is my apprentice, and my child. I intend to go to the Governors of Hogwarts rather than the head master to see about her admittance, but as it is an apprenticeship in Japan no transfers can take place without your permission."  
  
"Congratulations on the kid then, Clow, I may call you Clow?"  
  
"Certainly Fudge-san, it is an honor," he inclined his head to him, "May I call you Cornelius-san as well?"  
  
"Certainly my dear boy," said the Minister irrelevantly as Clow while he didn't look it was older than he, and also much taller. "And you can leave off that -san thing too." He clapped Clow on the back. Why, he was standing next to a living thought-dead legend, he met Merlin himself! And if the man want a favor or two, why not? This would do wonders for his publicity. "But ah..."  
  
"Would I mind stating my name under a Veritaserum test? I would do it in a heart beat. No I'm not reading your mind Cornelius, I'm merely Seeing a few moments into the future. Would you like a piece of Pocky?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Fudge eventually decided that Clow Reed was disturbingly like Dumbledoree, only *more* so if at all possible. But Clow did not belittle him, nor fix him with angry glares, as well being agreeable to going under the old man's nose via the Governors. And Bless Merlin he didn't bring up You-Know-Who.  
  
He found what Clow wanted to be agreeable. Why just think, he would be known as the minister who joined the East and the West! And Clow Reed's Heir, that would bring such prestige to England!  
  
He also found the chocolate covered stick cookies to be very tasty. Clow had even left a box of strawberry and marbled ones as well as another box of chocolate. In return Fudge didn't think it would be right to appear ungrateful and so provided Clow with another letter this time to the Governors of Hogwarts to hasten the process of getting the child in.  
  
Mnn...Chocolate.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Despite his worry at being separated from his mistress and the angst inherent at being around Clow Yue found that he was hard pressed NOT to be amused.  
  
"You know you're going to be in all the papers, right?"  
  
"Yes," Clow answered, never once looking up from the scroll he was writing in. "And before you say it, Sakura will be in Hogwarts by the time the paper comes out tomorrow. Now would you please deliver this to Dumbledore?" Clow sealed the scroll with his magic seal and handed it to Yue as well as the original letter and the letter from the Governors. "Enjoy watching them dance, won't you?"  
  
A delicate snort, "I think they will be jumping more than the Governors and Fudge put together." He turned to take off.  
  
"Oh and Yue?"  
  
He turned and raised an eyebrow at him while his mind pleaded please say you want me to stay with you, one kiss...  
  
"Look impressive," and he smiled at him.  
  
Yue nodded and left, reflecting that smiles were more valuable than gold.  
  
But what was more? The smile of the velvet night or the smile of the star?  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Halloween was over, and there was a party in full swing. Not amongst the teachers, though some of them were perversely pleased and irritated at the same time. The students had beaten the record and had managed to rid themselves of the DADA teacher in under two months instead of a year. He has been a desk jockey Auror, timid, stammered, he had his spells down but he was squeamish about blood. Rumor had it that he had been transferred into the Aurors from some secretary gig else where in the Ministry as it was well known that most Aurors hated paper work with a passion.  
  
The professor had been so universally disliked and not respected in the school that several Slytherines where overheard commenting that they'd "Rather take lessons from Pot-head and his Mudblood than from that idiot." So all the classes and all the houses banded together to get rid of him.  
  
Poor Old Bloke never had a chance. Fred and George regularly sent him toilet seats at St. Mungo's though.  
  
Of course the coalition had fallen apart right after that, but they made a good showing. Now they had free periods, and in Charms they were taught DADA spells as well as the more common ones. The teachers were pleased to be rid of him, and for the inter-house cooperation, but not at how they lost him. Eh, C'est la Vie.  
  
It was breakfast and the jeering was kept to a minimum, even between the Slytherines and Gryffindor, there was congratulations and cheering in places. Snape was disgusted, Sprout was heart warmed, Sinestra contemplated what else the school and students could accomplish if they could be persuaded to work together again, McGonagall was proud, Hagrid was eating, Vector was calculating, Binns was oblivious, Dumbledore was smiling.  
  
All was well in the world.  
  
The Owls started to come in then, flying around the great hall like bits of fake snow and glitter in a snow globe.  
  
And then Dumbledore stopped smiling, for he noticed something.  
  
The birds were not delivering the papers, the parcels or the mail. Instead they were taking up roosts where ever they could, or flying in patterns along the sides of the Hall.  
  
One by one and all at once the teachers and then the students took notice of this.  
  
Dumbledore looked up to the large window where the last of the birds came in and in swept and angel.  
  
He entered a controlled glide, arms half spread, hair streaming, his feathers pristine white. A few of the muggle born first years in the center table half reached up to touch the glorious plumage, not realizing that this was an abnormal occurrence.  
  
He landed perfectly in a knight's kneel before the head table, one fist clasped to his chest.  
  
"Greetings Dumbledore-sama, I am Yue, the Judge. My creator Clow Reed has bidden that I deliver this to you," he held out the scroll, head still bowed, "And has told me to inform you that he shall be coming here along with his Heir, who shall be attending this...institution, tomorrow. The School Governors have already signed the paper work."  
  
He stood and walked, barefoot to the table and handed the school and letter over.  
  
He half turned to leave and then paused.  
  
"I would also advise you on my own to improve the scanning spells for incoming letters." He tossed the unopened returned to sender letter onto Dumbledore's plate. His voice barely betraying any inflection, disappointment here, disapproval there.  
  
Snape made a note to try something like that as it almost seemed to make the Headmaster squirm.  
  
He turned fully then and looked out onto the mass of students, no, the owls.  
  
Yue, the moon, ruler of the night, of air and water. Of course the owls were part of his domain.  
  
As one the bowed to the angel who then gracefully took off, in his wake the Owls started their proper duties once again.  
  
There was dead silence, or rather it continues for a few moments until it was broken surprisingly by Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh Hell."  
  
====  
  
BWAHAHAHHAHA! IT IS DONE! FINALLY! I really love this chapter and character submissions are still open.  
  
BTW did I miss any teachers?  
  
I still need to write that paper. 


	6. Oh Fudge

A/N:  
  
*gets down on hands and knees and bows repeatedly, causing massive head trauma to herself.* Gomen! Gomen! Ai I had so much work to do recently, so many papers, argh, and I still have more! And then when I did have some free time I was out of cadence so I had no flecking idea what to write!  
  
I hope I haven't lost any readers!  
  
Now, on to questions and concerns, though unfortunately there weren't very many this time around. ASK people! It helps me write and makes me think about what I write!  
  
Alright, Leila didn't like how Dumbledore reacted, and I'm sure many of you have the same concerns. Here are the reasons  
  
There are three basic types of foresight, which have many different kinds within them.   
  
First and highest is Clow's foresight, the True Foresight. Trelawney's predictions (the ones she doesn't remember making to Harry) come under this heading. It involves either being pulled out of time or delving outside of your own will. Sometimes things come inside of the body and give predictions, like Trelawney; typically they have no memory of what they said, unless it is from an outside source, like autonomic writing. This also covers people allowing themselves to be possessed by a ghost or other thing that has True Foresight even if the host does not.  
  
Note One: If one is powerful enough one can actually change the threads of Fate a little.  
  
Note Two: Clow is so powerful he often does it without realizing he's doing it. He doesn't even have to foresee something to alter it. It makes him disgustingly lucky.  
  
Second Type: Uses of mediums in foretelling. Clow also does this when the mood strikes him, it keeps him from changing the future as much. This is what Trelawney teaches. You don't need the first type in order for this to work, though it helps. Unfortunately it gets difficult to differentiate between when the signs are symbolic or literal. (Remember the Grim but it really was Sirus?)  
  
Note Three: Magic is not necessary for the two previous types of foresight.  
  
Third Type: Magic is necessary for this kind of Foresight. In fact a good bit of magic is needed. It is Foresight related to things you have connection to. That is remember how Sakura had dreams about the Clow cards? It's because of this, partially. She also has the first type mind you, but not as developed. The weakest forms of this are characterized by 'bad feelings' and hunches. As Dumbledore is magically tied to the school this is why he seems to know everything that's going on.  
  
Now then, Dumbledore only has the last kind of foresight, while Clow has all three in vast quantities. Further more, Clow did not foresee this, how could Dumbledore? Moreover, Dumbledore might be an Uber wizard, but Clow is at least ten times more powerful, he's uber uber ad nasum.  
  
Clow coming over was like dropping the Tri-wizard tournament into Dumbledore's lap with no forewarning.  
  
It is also not like Dumbledore cursed the paint off the walls, he said it in a very matter of fact way, which I will be typing, eventually. *evil grin*  
  
And who says Sakura is going to be at the school already? I'm thinking about torturing you all with a chapter or two before she even shows up again.  
  
*evil laughter*  
  
And just so you know, I got the paper in on time and it was a B+  
  
Oh, and I *LIKE* telling you guys this stuff.  
  
Character submissions are still open!  
On wards!  
Chapter Six: Oh Fudge  
  
(Or: In Which The Author Clarifies The Recent Time Line Kinks That No One Noticed And Write Silliness Because It Amuses Her)  
The Governors of Hogwarts were *not* pleased. Like Lucius Malfoy, who was no longer a part of their esteemed group, they were all part of the Ministry of Magic, indeed, most of them held very high positions. Thus when Clow Reed showed up at the Minister's predawn get-what-should-have-been-finished-yesterday-done-now meeting and 'requested' that his child (or rather half child, no one was quite too sure how that worked out) go to Hogwarts most of the governors were easily found.  
  
The rest of them had to be woken up. Three in the morning was a positively unwizardly hour. Add that to the fact that the Minister's letter all but *ordered* them to let the child in...well.  
  
The Governors of Hogwarts were *not* pleased.  
  
To be fair that Pocky stuff was quite good and woke them up right away. They were particularly fond of the chocolate ones that were extra thick so as to be almost like fudge.  
  
To be fair Clow had spoken eloquently, offered more pocky, and was willing to pay for the child's tuition, and gave the Governors some ideas.  
  
Hogwarts was free for all years for muggle born students, and the cost for wizarding born was very little, even less if a member of the family was part of the ministry. The only income the place had was from the Governors, and donations from Alumni. Thankfully the teachers room and board were included in their wages, and (most) House Elves worked for free.  
  
Hogwarts was not tight for money, mind you, no where near it, but it would be nice to provide the students with brooms better than old Cleansweeps.  
  
But Clow had an idea that would bring more money to the school, and bring prestige as well. They had mentioned that they were pleased that Clow would pay for tuition, perhaps their voice gave away how pleased and Clow had queried about the state of the school. Eventually the man had wormed the full story out of them and proposed his idea.   
  
The idea, incidentally, came from the muggles. Hogwarts was huge, its faculties were no where near being used to the fullest capacity. It was a revelation to the Governors that muggle colleges were top of the line and allowed for, even sponsored, research in their facilities. In return they received a cut of the profits that came from such things. Because recently several instillations for the mass production and research of potions had been destroyed (rouge attacks, no one was saying Voldemort--but they whispered it), If they offered such a thing...EndoPotion, makers of Skele-grow and most other healing potions, would be all over the chance. New brooms they did not have, but top of the line faculties they did. And given a chance to get at Hogwarts' library (not even Hermione knew what a treasure the students had access to)...The idea was fantastic! Clow had even mentioned an odd case of magic deprivation that would be a fabulous boon to St. Mungos to study. St. Mungos had to deal with Wizards driven insane and who's magic was completely out of control, to be able to tap them without hurting them...why they might even be able to do away with the Dementors in Azkaban!  
  
Clow had smiled and bowed in that polite eastern way of his and submitted to his hand being vigorously shaken. Then he had generously provided them each with a crate of Pocky before Disapparating.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Children from all over who returned home after a year or more expected their parents to keep their rooms just as they were when they left...even if they had apparently left the nest for good.  
  
Needless to say most were disappointed when they came home.  
  
When Clow Apparated in what was once his room in his mother's home he was disoriented and somehow not at the same time.  
  
More than a hundred years and his room was just as he left it, even the ink stain on the floor mats. Apparently his family had erected an ancestral shrine to him.  
  
Pity he was defiling it. Could he technically defile it though? It was his room after all.  
  
He was on part of the room going though his draws and a chest that his father had given him while he scryed the other side of his room, even while he calmly gave out instructions to Yue, who did nothing to help. Things when flying. Less than a minute later he gave a shout of triumph, switched sides, and started digging though a pile of dirty clothing until he found it. He held up the lacquer box which was about the size of his two hands twice over and about three inches deep. He opened it and checked the contents, spell wise, satisfied that everything was in order, even the thread had yet to decay because of a spell used on his room. He disappeared.  
  
The lone person in the room blinked at having been so strangely disturbed from his meditations, and the dirty obi fell from his head.  
  
He found that he had a strange craving for chocolate Pocky.  
  
Yue was very amused.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Tomoyo," he said softly, shuffling his feet slightly out of discomfort and nervousness, he was glad that his long robes hid this. There was something about Tomoyo that made him feel like a child. Not like Eriol, as him he was almost always poised, but like the way Kaho made almost everyone else feel. Perhaps it was because of how she yelled at him earlier.  
  
He wouldn't be surprised if she tried dragging him by the ear.  
  
He would follow and whine about it as well.  
  
She looked up from what she was doing. Eating and going over costumes. Costumes for Sakura, colors of joy she no longer wore. Her eyes were rimed in red and some of the fabric had dark tear stains. The tears had dried up long ago and she could not sleep judging from the time of night it was.  
  
"Tomoyo, I need you to do something to help Sakura."  
  
Those eyes immediately brightened, widening and becoming sharp and alert rather than distant.  
  
"Sakura needs a robe, and a carrying case that can close, for the Sakura Book, for tomorrow."  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip and wheels whirled in her brain. "A robe like yours?"  
  
"That would be best."  
  
She gnawed on her lower lip considering, "I do have something that I was working on. It's not quite done because I was working on descriptions of you but now...And I have a book bag I was working on, it can easily be altered, over the shoulder strap sound perfect, but it will need designs and edging matching the robe to be worthy of Sakura-chan!"  
  
Her eyes sparkled, joy overcoming her melancholy.  
  
"Ah, that has already been taken care of," he showed her the lacquer box and opened it and unfolded it many layers like a modern extensive makeup kit. It opened like a flower revealing its chambered insides, which were far, far larger than it should have been able to hold. Several needles and other sewing instruments, pale white, seemingly to be made of bone or ivory with tiny delicate runes carved into it. Magic, nothing could be carved that delicately and go against the grain.  
  
There were also spools of vividly colored silk of every shade imaginable. It ran the gamut of gauges as well, fine single strands to embroidery thread of silk noil. But even there it was obvious to the trained eye of a seamstress that there was something behind it as instead of being twisted or loosely bunched the thread was braided in complicated patterns that shifted and flowed.  
  
There was also fabric within, matching each spool of thread. Again silk, with a thread count so high her eyes blurred trying to count more than four.  
  
This was not her dream kit. This crushed her dreams to dust and nothingness without even realizing it. This was Plato's forms seen without a lens. This was the Golden Fleece. This was the Holy Grail.  
  
This was to her dream as Sakura was to a bad drawing of her by an angry Kero.  
  
She swallowed thickly.  
  
"This is for you, I need you to sew a pattern onto strips of fabric that will go on all the openings of what she wears, all the edges and trims and bands. It will protect her and everyone else. When she goes to this school she will not be able to stay under my shield and because of her distressed state her power might arc out of its confines. Do you understand?"  
  
She nodded numbly, unable to speak but understanding, not only what Clow wanted, but what she could DO with a set like this. The outfits she could make her beloved Sakura-chan would be beyond compare!  
  
"I will show you the pattern and I will help you finish it. I must go in a few hours, but I will be back shortly afterwards though."  
  
She nodded at him and stood up, pencil in one hand and sketch pad in the other. She began to take notes on his robe. She reached over absently and nibbled on a piece of chocolate.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Yue had his orders, and his orders were to speak to the Elders and the Leader of the Li clan to find out how well things were going in regards to the documentation of the laws and customs of the clan. He was also to get updates on Shaoron and Melin and their assignment--or rather how it would go as they just returned back this morning.  
  
Judging from the fact that an entire wall of his creator's old room had been removed and now opened up to a small shrine, the layout must have changed drastically. He extended himself, searching for the shadows and breath of those he was looking for, a line of pitch and a gust of air moving rapidly though the compound and then into the next.  
  
Windy found them first, in one of the buildings that was there when he was first created, though then it had been a martial arts training area rather than governmental. He made his way forward becoming insubstantial with the power of Through, then he stopped.  
  
His creator seemed to have neglected to turn off a certain spell he was using, perhaps out forgetfulness or inherent silliness.  
  
Sometimes...sometimes they were so alike it made every nerve dance with aching hurt.  
  
Yue decided to take pity on the man with half a dirty obi on his head who was still in shock and gave him a box of pocky before moving though the walls like a ghost. 


	7. Finally

A/N: Damn, sorry again guys, but I'm on vacation, a short one mind you, now, so I should be able to get back up to speed.

Unfortunately I've been really really tired recently.

Now then.

Clow and blood.  How could Neville do all that he did in his first flying lesson and only get a broken wrist?

Needing magic to activate an item to see the future.  If you want to get right down to it the first type of Foresight requires magic because it is magic.  It's just not " wizarding magic."

As for needing magic to use tarot cards to truly see the future and past.  Look at what Clow does with his foresight, the Wilds.  He tossed himself out to get the raw stuff needed to make souls for his guardians.  All souls are connected to it to a certain extent, all things are connected to it.  Thus intent and direction from the mind can effect how things will fall.  Am I making sense?  I'm tired and my eyes itch.

"…so alike it made every nerve dance with aching hurt."  That is Yue seeing the sameness between Clow and Sakura and it is so pointed and poignant to him it is physically painful to him.

The Obi guy seems to be a one shot.

Fear not, I will describe Tomoyo's masterpieces in detail.

Nothing planed with the Patils.  Trelawny is going to be HITTING on Clow for a while, the man is every seer's wet dream.  I don't LIKE Ginny, at all.  Neville is going to have a part simply because he's in Harry's year and he's useful, now that I'm writing him I find I rather like him.  I did drop a serious hint in an earlier AN which it seems has been missed.

By the way.

You have my official permission to pity The Twins.

No obsession with pocky.  If you were paying attention you would have caught on, likewise to spiking the pocky.  Clow spiked himself so to speak.

As for everything else, the explanations of lineage, the protections.  Well, y'all are assuming WAY WAY too much.  Protection can take many forms, as can harm.

And lineage.  THINK PEOPLE!  First person to figure out the two ways that they are going to deal with the lineage issues by the next Wednesday...  Hmn...  I can't draw, I can color and alter pics…I can write…OKAY!  First person to figure it out by the Wednesday (and hasn't been told!) gets a Clow/Snape lemon written by me!  Or a Clow/Yue.  Choice is yours.

Chapter Seven, Finally.

Or, In Which We Get Back To Hogwarts And Eriol And The Hogwarts Gang Make Appearances

"Oh Hell."

Golden flatware clattered against plates, tables and the stone floor.  Goblets crashed to the floor along with several students.  All eyes, save for the ones that weren't glazed from shock or closed from fainting and receiving a concussion were focused on the Headmaster.

Dumbledore had just *cursed.*  Professors simply did not curse, it just wasn't done, Snape came close to it, but he managed to be insulting without being crude.  Dumbledore of the friendly twinkling eyes most certainly did not.

But he just did.  In a quiet, matter of fact, "By Merlin what my eyes are telling me simply cannot be true, I would restart my brain but I know it won't do any good," tone of voice.

In short an "Oh Hell," tone.

Before fire could rain from the skies and people running mad in the streets/corridors and the four horsemen mount up Dumbledore stood up and made an announcement.

"Classes are cancelled for the day."  Before there was joyful students running mad in the corridors he continued, "So is today's Quidditch game, which will be rescheduled," that calmed the protest that had started to rise in the collective throats of the students.  "Seventh years will aide the Professors in preparations while Prefects will guide the rest of their Houses to the Dormitories and guard the exits.  Any student," he paused and gazed around gravely, not a twinkle in his eye, "And I do mean any, found outside the Dormitories will share punishment with their Prefects which can go up to, and includes expulsion."

Murmurs rippled outwards like a still pool disturbed, whispers, shock.  Dumbledore continued, "House elves will place refilling plates in the common rooms, they will be slow as the kitchens will be operating with the bare minimum.  They will be up to clean the rooms in the morning during breakfast so make sure your personal possessions are stored."

He glanced down at the paper in his hand.__

"Dress robes are not required tomorrow, but they must be clean and pressed, am I making myself clear?"

A resounding yes answered him from the assembled student body, like soldiers.  It dimmed his heart, spell fodder and warriors, too young all of them for the up coming war, but at least now it was only a battle to get Hogwarts into top shape for tomorrow.  Honestly, it was like dropping a notice his school would be hosting the TriWizard Tournament the day before the other schools arrived.

"Good, now get along now," he smiled to reassure them and made a gesture, and the Prefects herded them out, leaving only the Seventh years behind.  Dumbledore was very glad that the Weasley twins were only in the Sixth year.

"We must get Hogwarts into tip top shape for tomorrow, every stone cleaned, every crack repaired.  So bone up on your cleaning charms everyone, we have work to do."

And they did, cleaning and shining, de-squeaking, and repairing side by side with they army of Hogwart's house elves.  Dumbledore himself spent several hours altering the spell in Great Hall's ceiling.  First fixing it at a cloudless midday before slowly edging the moon in for a total eclipse to honor their 'guest' and from where he drew his power.  The stars shone bright as the rim of the sun in the artificial midday midnight.

_P.S.  Don't bother with dress robes Albus-kun._

~*~*~*~*~

"Who is this Clow Reed guy anyways?"

Harry looked up at Lee Jordan who had asked the question.  He then looked expectantly at Hermione who always had the answers, interest sparking in his eyes over who could get Dumbledore, bloody hell, the entire Hogwarts staff to jump like that despite the tired smudges under his eyes.

"I don't know, he certainly wasn't _Great Wizards of the Century_.  I think, maybe, a Reed was mentioned in connection to the Founders in _Hogwarts, A History_, but I don't know which one, and my copy is in the library!"

Ron smiled laughingly at her and teased her gently, "You mean you haven't memorized it yet 'Mione?"

She slapped his shoulder smiling, though, "Oh shush you!"

Harry nibbled on a sandwich from the magically refilling plate Dumbledore promised and looked at Neville who looked like he had something to say but was afraid to.  He briefly met Harry's eyes and was strengthened by a small smile, and still looking at the timid boy, "I'm curious as to who it is too."

"Yeah!  What if he's some sort of Dark Wizard or something?!"  There were many answering affirmative calls agreeing with Ron's sentiment.

Neville finally screwed up his courage and spoke up, "He's not a Wizard!"

He shrunk back as everyone's eyes focused in on him.

It was Hermione that encouraged him, "Go on Neville."

"Uhn...T-thanks Hermione.  I-I read about him in a book Professor Sprout suggested to me."

Everyone crowded around Neville as the new source of interesting information.  Neville seemed to be heartened by this, even growing slightly proud.

"He was famous for bringing Medical herbs from the East to the West which were used to cure the several diseases in Wizarding world a few years later."  There were some mumblings about this, the most common one being, "So?"

Neville quickly went on to try and regain some of his newfound popularity, "I uh was curious so I looked up some more stuff on him and he's really really famous, but it can't be him you see."

"'Course it's him Neville, no one ruffles Dumbledore's feathers, so he has to be really really bloody famous!"

Neville looked unsure but educated his brethren, "His Da was from Britain and his Mum was from some really big Wizarding clan in China.  He was famous for making a whole new kind of magic and for being the best Seer since the Oracle at Delphi."

There were snorts from all around, "Oh come off it Neville, you've seen Trelawny, you can't seriously tell us you believe that tripe!"

"No it's true!  He didn't use stuff like she does.  He simply told people what was going to happen, _in plain English_.  You know those cures I was talking about?  He told people how to make 'em and what was coming!"

"So he is a Dark Wizard!  He brought diseases over so he could peddle false cures!"

Hermione tuned the boys' bickering out and considered, a new kind of magic?  That sounded familiar.

"Neville!  What did you say about a new kind of magic?"

Neville looked relieved as he had been getting nervous around the verbal beat down he was getting from his housemates.  He nodded rapidly, "Uh huh!  Clow Reed made a bunch of cards."

There was a collective blink from all the wizard born, and all the muggle born who studied compulsively.

"...Not the, Clow Cards, is it Neville?"

A nod and mummers swept though the common room.

Harry jerked on Hermione's robe to get her attention and hissed into her ear, "Clow Cards?"

She whispered back, "Very powerful magical items which are also spells, you have to have magic to use them.  Said to be one of the most potent magical items in the whole world."

Harry was about to open his mouth to ask a question but Neville started talking again.

"They say he knew Merlin personally, some people think he might even *BE* Merlin.  He was over thousand years old, without the Elixir of Life 'coz he outlived his wife.  But ya see, the books all say he *died* a couple of Centuries ago looking not a day over thirty, if that."

Well, at least now they knew why he wasn't in Hermione's book.

~*~*~*~*~

Clow Reed was feeling slightly winded.  Even for him four transcontinental Aparations, and one from Hong Kong to Japan was a bit much.

It was late now, he had allowed Tomoyo to take notes one his robe before going to Scotland to drop Yue off to deliver the messages.  Now he had left the guardian in China to deal with his family while he himself now leaned against the shrine's cherry tree.

Tomoyo was asleep he could tell from here, it was after all very late.  Sakura was awake, and he could tell, without scrying, that her sun guardian was trying to convince her to sleep.  It was all well and good that she wakeful during Britain's daylight hours save for one thing; she rarely slept at all, it wasn't healthy.

The Kami of the cherry tree stirred under his fingers.  Not physically, magically, yes, but also spiritually.  It did so in recognition of the one who had planted it and placed so much magic into it, enough for it to become a kami spirit.

It wasn't sentient, not even to the extent that the cards were, even the book itself.  It was benevolent though and it embraced him.    He would have had any of his guardians here, but he was in a delicate position, neither living nor dead, and outside the balance he had so carefully crafted.  He could not have them here, it was not his magic any more, all that was left was this tree.  It would be enough, more than enough, he would not need it he simply slept and worked in the morning.  But he did not have the time, he had to ensure everything went right and perhaps he could repair the balance.

So he pressed his back flat against its bark and shrunk his staff to its key state and hung it about his neck.  Both hands were at his sides, palms to the bark, fingers curled lightly against it.  He had a brief second thought and pocketed his glasses.  He laughed nervously to himself as he dropped his hand back to its place.  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he carefully released the bonds he had placed on his "Gift" and bound it to the tree with utmost delicacy.   It was chilling how his "Gift" was stronger than ever because he had been dead.  So every bind to keep the visions away was in truth a protection for those around him and his own sanity.  So he undid his wards one at a time and bound himself to the tree with equal precision; the world did not need another Time Tree.

And without further ado he slipped into the time stream.

~*~*~*~

The Tree was still to his back, rising up and up though the levels of time to join somewhere above in the realm of the Wild, just as his own thin silver thread joining to his own soul did.

He wasn't that far "out," about the level automatic speakers got their voices from.  He looked around and saw each thread of someone's soul, glints of magic and some twining together.  He recognized some, touched more in his previous life.

He also saw Time.  It was, twisted, broken, but healing, like a bone knitting together, though some strands did not match up in some places.  It looked as if some strange and perverse god had ripped them free of their moorings and deposited them down in another place that did not quite match up.

It was the first time he had ever seen anything like this, even his own thread had been altered.

Clow could touch the unifying existence, or at least come close to it and drag some of it back down with him, but he was not a god.  He had learned long ago to let things go if he could not change them, if he didn't he would go mad.

So he let it pass over him, indeed, he even embraced it, his foresight shouldn't be too far off if at all.  Hopefully the god that had hijacked them would put them back unharmed when it was done.

He stepped up to a core of magic, as there were many and not just one, and came face to face with a surprise.

Apparently his foresight wasn't working properly.

"Hello Clow," Eriol greeted.

=====

A/N: YES I KNOW I CHANGED THE TWIN'S YEAR.  But I want them in Hogwarts.


	8. I Hope You Suffer

A/N: Where the AU—ugh.  
  
I HATED Harry in OoTP, but I'm going to try and keep with that Harry—and get rid of him at the same time, watch. I might be rearranging the time line slightly.  
  
And apparently I didn't change the twin's year.  
  
Chapter Eight: I Hope You Suffer  
  
They can't get me on Privet Drive, I know that now.  
  
They can't get me in Headquarters, either.  
  
But they can get me at Hogwarts, even though we usually have a great deal of warning.  
  
They can get me in the car, I guess.  
  
But...this time they got me on the train this time.  
  
Funny, it's the same trick we played on Draco's goons during the second year—well not exactly, I wouldn't eat anything that I happened to find that looked tasty—and was floating mid air.  
  
But it was the same tact, a drugged treat.  
  
Shortly after I saved Mr.Weasley's life Snape and Dumbledore both warned me not to eat anything I was not sure of until I got to Hogwarts. Things in Grimmauld Place were fine, but I should be wary otherwise.  
  
I thought the wrapped treats on Hogwarts Express were perfectly fine.  
  
Stupid me.  
  
Turns out Voldemort, notified of our mental connection, had Snape cook him up some eclectic potion that would knock me out and control reality in my dreams.  
  
Consequently I missed about a month of classes.  
  
Fudge said I had some sort of magical allergic reaction or something even after they showed him the damn thing was tainted. He had the gall to accuse Dumbledore of doing it. Pffft!  
  
He had to drop his accusation anyways—and cover up the evidence, because if it went to the Wizengamot Snape would get to show off his shiny and good as new Dark Mark off, and that would really screw the Minister over.  
  
I wonder if he has any leprechaun in his family?  
  
In any case during that month I was out like a light and completely open to Voldemort's control, well it was a great deal longer than a month to me. I'm almost certain of how it works too.  
  
See, no one remembers things like a string of information, right? I mean who remembers what happened five minutes ago? So all he did was give me the specifics and helped my mind fill in the blanks, that's how complicated Impercio commands work.  
  
Bastard still made me do all my homework AND detentions, I remember it!  
  
At least I don't have the scars.  
  
The toad lady isn't the DADA teacher at least. She was going to be it but Dumbledore pulled some strings and magiced a few paperwork disasters and we got this wimpy little paper pusher that taught us from the same Ministry prescribed book as the toad did in my dream world, though he did brighten things up with a few real Auror reports now and then before the Ministry made him stop.  
  
Shortly after I woke up we drove him out of school, and now we don't have a DADA teacher.  
  
Professor McGonagall said that Dumbledore was buying time. I asked for what. And she...she said that...well.  
  
At least my friends are still my friends.  
  
In my dreams they were not so forgiving, I drove them away with my temper tantrums. They yelled back, we fought, I was abandoned, Second year and the last all over again.  
  
I suspect that he had an idea to mess with my mind so much that I believed it so would do something stupid. But with Snape working on a counter, and telling LV about it, well he tried to make me distrust my friends as much as possible. The brain does not lead the heart.  
  
I think the greasy git fudged it as much as possible for as long as possible.  
  
However long it was was hell for me. Hexes and curses and curses of the verbal kind. I was...it was worse than on Privet Drive and school with Dudley. I was used to being alone then, being hated then, and knowing that people were only mean because otherwise Dudley and his gang would beat them up.  
  
Now...Now they all hated me for me.  
  
But no, NO! That is in the past, what's more it didn't happen. It was...like the exact opposite of the mirror of Erised. It was what I most feared and most hated and I experienced it.  
  
It left it's marks on me. Bad and good.  
  
Voldemort did me a favor though he didn't mean to—even though I have to learn to trust them again he also rather rudely broke me of my rather nasty yelling habit. Thinking back I was a right awful ass. Keeping your head down is so much better than making yourself into a target. Better to think twice than not at all.  
  
Because of that I know what McGonagall meant rather than what she said.  
  
Dumbledore didn't know what he was buying time for.  
  
...  
  
How the hell did he know to wait for something if he didn't know what it was?! 


End file.
